


works of art.

by jswoon2



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Not Hockey Player(s), M/M, Museums
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 04:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13240521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jswoon2/pseuds/jswoon2
Summary: Nate goes out of the country to go to college, would've come back home jobless if not for Sidney, and finds himself thankful for it. Even if dealing with little kids wasn't what he went to school for, their aide isn't too bad.





	works of art.

**Author's Note:**

> Based off tumblr 2 prompts and a random generated prompt: "It began in a museum."
> 
> Not beta'd, only proofread (Edited 1/7/18). Comments are lovely! Happy New Year!

Nate moves away from home for a few years, studies sports medicine, and ends up right back where he started in Halifax thousands of dollars in debt with a degree but no job to put it to use. Everyone wants at least five years of experience, a preferred minimum of two languages, and other crazy qualifications that Nate couldn’t even try to squeeze out on a fluffed up resume. He’s obviously been in college the past four years, barely speaks French although he took it in high school and again in college, and yeah, he’s gotten some points in the experience column for working with his school’s hockey team but it’s not enough.

 

Luckily, he has an old friend in Sidney Crosby, golden boy of Nova Scotia, who lands him a job at their hometown museum.

 

“It’s a security position, pays minimum wage, but it’s better than nothing,” Sid says as he watches Nate try on a uniform vest looking a size or two too small. “Mario said if you do a good job, he’ll make you full time.”

 

“Thanks, man.” Nate grimaces. The dress code is pretty relaxed. Just a button down and nice slacks are all that’s required aside from the vest provided by the museum. “I’m hoping this is only a temporary thing, you know? Like, I just need one job to pull through.”

 

Sid steps closer into Nate’s space, attempting to use the same mirror although both Nate almost takes up the entire thing by himself. He needs to look nice if he’s going to give a tour today. “Where did you apply?”

 

“I thought I had an in with the Avs back in Colorado but I haven’t heard anything back from them. Maybe it would be easier to just stay here,” Nate says with some uncertainty. “You think the Mooseheads could use an extra hand?”

 

“You know they’d always welcome you back but if Colorado is what you want, you should get it, eh. That’s what you went to school for,” Sid elbows Nate in the side encouragingly with a slightly lopsided smile.

 

Nate flushes slightly. He’s always been a soft spot for Sidney’s smile. “Yeah,” he exhales with some relief, “thanks.”

 

“Good luck on your interview, you’ll do great.” Sid pats Nate on the chest, right over where a nametag would be. “You’re a shoo-in.”

  


*

  


Mario schedules Nate to start working on a Wednesday.

 

“Usually, Wednesdays are slow but some kids will be in taking tours. The tour guides are pros so don’t worry too much about it. Just make sure they keep their hands to themselves. Don’t want any of the little ones getting hurt somehow,” Mario warns although not seeming too concerned.

 

It barely takes Nate an hour to discover that children let loose in a museum are menaces. They touch absolutely _everything_ even when there’s signs everywhere telling them not to. Their little fingers can’t poke through glass but they certainly can get smudges all over the glass and between the dinosaur bones that are low enough to the ground that they can just reach. Nate manages to catch most of them in the act. They’re kids so as soon as they’re caught, they get that deer in the headlights look.

 

Nate would consider it cute but he’s the man wearing the vest so he has to correct them. Perhaps, a bit too sternly he realizes if the teacher’s aid frowning at him after is any indication.

 

“They’re just kids,” the man says to Nate, arms crossed against his chest. He looks up at Nate but only slightly.

 

“The sign says not to touch,” Nate replies, “and not to take pictures either.” Nate groans out loud, spotting a pair of teens taking pictures near the caveman exhibit.

 

The man turns, following Nate’s gaze, then has the balls to laugh at Nate. “Relax a little, working at a museum should be calming.”

 

“I’m not really used to calming. I’m new at this,” Nate says honestly. He’s used to keeping up his adrenaline and working hard on his feet. This isn’t the pace of working he thought he’d be dealing with.

 

“I can tell,” the man smiles warmly. “The kids come here all the time and I’ve never seen you before. I’m Jo, but depending on how well you behave you might have to call me Mr. Drouin like the rest of the kids.” Nate notices how Jo’s teeth are bright white as he holds out his hand to shake.

 

Nate laughs, attempting to get his hands out of his pockets as quickly as possible. Has his pockets always been so large? “Nate,” he says, leaning in by his own accord. “It’s nice to meet you. I was always a good student in school, promise.”

 

Jo hums in a way that tells Nate that Jo doesn’t quite believe him. “Well, looks like we’re off to look at the frogs next. I promise I’ll let them know about touching the exhibits.” He releases Nate’s hand first, immediately running his fingers through his hair to smooth it down although Nate didn’t see a hair out of place.

 

“Not touching,” Nate is quick to correct.

 

“Right,” Jo nods with faux seriousness, “ _not_ touching.”

  


*

  


Lunch is on Sidney’s mom because she genuinely believes that Nate didn’t learn how to provide food for himself in within the four years he was away in Colorado.

 

“She’s just excited you’re back,” Sid explains, mixing together pasta and a dark sauce Nate doesn’t recognize. “I came home a few years ago and now you’re back. She’s already crossing her fingers that Taylor will follow our examples.”

 

Tina Crosby certainly was like a second mother to Nate. He remembers hanging around Sid quite often from when they were younger. They played on the same hockey team, although not at the same time. His mother and Sid’s alternated taking the boys to and from practices. Growing up with Sarah as his only sibling, Nate desperately wanted to impress Sid like a little duckling imprinting on its mother she would always tease.

 

“What is that?” Nate asks, just to change the subject to Sid’s meal. It smells great but looks a little less than appetizing.

 

“It’s stroganoff,” Sid says, then looking a bit sheepish, “I may have overcooked it a bit. It was my first time making it and I made too much.”

 

A bit loudly the door to the breakroom closes. Nate looks just because he’s new around here. He doesn't know what kind of sounds his coworkers make or what their voices really sound like. Sid on the other hand doesn’t even glance.

 

“Hey Geno,” he says simply without looking because he’s Sid and Sid is magical in weird ways.

 

Geno towers over Nate who kind of prides himself on being a big guy. Other than this imposing height, he isn’t much of an intimidating guy. For the most part, he works security but sometimes Sid talks him into helping out make slime for the kids on the science portion of the tour. Nate doesn’t know much about Geno aside from the fact that he’s from Russia and he and Sid go “way back”, which makes little sense to Nate considering he grew up with Sid and he would remember a guy like Geno hanging around.

 

“Sid,” Geno replies, knocking shoulders with Sidney as he sits down. “Nate, how’s first day?”

 

At first Nate shrugs. It’s been pretty uneventful. There’s not a whole lot of things to guard but so many little childrens’ fingers getting where they don’t belong. Nate settles for, “Not bad.”

 

“Jo tell me you get mad at little kids for little kid things,” Geno corrects, stealing a single mushroom off of Sidney’s plate.

 

“You know Jo?” Nate asks. Then, he realizes what he said.

 

“You new around here. Jo come often with classes. Loves kids as much as this museum,” Geno explains, stretching his legs out from underneath the table. Nate can’t see much from underneath the table but he does catch Sidney looking at the flex of Geno’s legs when he relaxes.

 

“Jo is a teacher’s aid. He probably comes in maybe every month? Whenever the school gets field trips here, he always volunteers,” Sid says with a certain fondness in his voice.

 

“Every month?” Nate questions. “That seems like a bit much, eh.”

 

“Not if you like history,” Sid counters.

 

Geno laughs. “Not everyone big history nerd like you.”

 

Sidney blushes red, ducking his head as if they won’t see it that way. Beside him Geno’s expression softens. “Hey, some like big history nerds,” Geno reassures. Cheeks still flushed, Sid smiles despite himself.

 

For some reason Nate feels like he’s third-wheeling a moment here but he can’t tell. He’s a bit new around here.

  


*

  


Halifax is just small enough that Nate sees a lot of familiar faces around town very quickly. He already, to a degree, knows some of the other people around his neighborhood who own dogs and which old ladies go walking in the morning. He usually doesn’t put his morning run on pause but he waves back at them when they initiate. One day he takes an off day and when he goes out to run the next day, one of the ladies stop him to ask if he was sick.

 

The cashier at the grocery store makes more and more small talk with him each time he comes in. It’s a pretty frequent thing too since Nate has a problem with keeping food in his fridge for some reason. It might have to do with the fact that he spends more nights crashing at Sid’s for dinner than at his own place, but Sid always lets him come over and nobody bothers him about it.

 

His mother loves that he and Sid are still close. Trina and Troy call him once to welcome him back to town and open Sid’s home open to him personally, even though technically it’s not their home to offer.

 

Two weeks after he’s worked his gym schedule into a proper routine he notices that his neighbor on the other side goes to the same gym too. Nate introduces himself, feeling somewhat embarrassed for not realizing that she actually works there and that’s why he knows her face. She doesn’t care though.

 

Her name is Allison but she tells him to call her Alli. Nate is pretty sure she checked him out when they first met. If plays his cards right he might be able to get a reference out of her so he can work at the gym too. There’s been a help wanted sign hanging on the front door since he’s gotten to Halifax but with the job Sidney got him, it didn’t seem necessary.

 

There wouldn’t be any gremlins at the gym, Nate imagines.

 

Luckily, teenagers are slightly better than their younger counterparts. They don’t seem particularly interested in the first settlers of Nova Scotia, no matter how passionately Sidney is explaining it to them.

 

Nate doesn’t quite remember thirteen year old’s being so tall.

 

“See?” Jo says, smiling up at Nate. “Everyone is keeping their hands to themselves,”

 

Nate makes a noise of disagreement. “Uh, are you counting those two?” Nate points to a pair of teens standing off to themselves, hands out of sight with the way they’re pressed together so tightly shoulder to shoulder.

 

“Hm,” Jo hums, impressed, “never thought he’d actually do it. The other week he came to me saying how Sophie would never notice him. Looks like that worked out.”

 

“What’d you tell him?”

 

Jo frowns a little, forming worry lines between his brows. “Well I couldn’t exactly help him. It’s been forever since I’ve tried to impress a girl. Boys are so much easier.”

 

At no part in Nate's life has he ever been taught how to properly play off choking on your own saliva. He does his best to cough into his sleeve but Sid has already caught his eye from the front of the room. It’s somewhat of a reprimanding look for making noise with no real heat behind it. He can’t stop though. Not even with Jo rubbing his back too soothe the cough, his face ducked against Nate’s shoulder to hide his laughter.

 

It crosses Nate’s mind that the longer he coughs, the longer Jo will hold him.

 

“Um,” he clears his throat, “I think I’m good. Thanks. I’m okay, I think.”

 

Jo’s hand doesn’t leave Nate’s back. In fact, somehow his other hand has loosely curved around Nate’s bicep - probably during his coughing fit - and it feels warm. His thumb strokes in the inside of Nate’s arm. It draws out a smile on Nate’s lips and there they are, just sharing a moment when Jo has twenty kids he should be paying attention to.

 

“ _Oooh_ ,” a child says, his hands cupped around his mouth when he spies how his teacher is positioned.

 

The warmth in gone in a flash.

 

“Alexandre, pay attention,” Jo says quickly, moving away from Nate’s side to physically turn the child back around to face Sid. He bends over just enough to talk privately to the boy, leaving Nate to wonder what happened. “Sorry,” he apologizes when he returns, “I wouldn’t have said that if I knew I’d get that kind of reaction.”

 

“It’s cool, I mean, like, boys are cute.” Nate thinks an other worldly power must keep him from literally facepalming.

 

Jo seems relaxed by Nate’s panic, though. “ _Parfait_ ,”

  


*

  


Somehow Nate gets wrapped up in a huge coffee run scheme for Sid. He has to get into his car bright and early much before the museum is set to open and drive to Tim’s. Luckily Sid got things ordered ahead of time so it’s a simple pick up and then he’s on his usual drive to the museum.

 

Geno is lining tables with plastic tablecloths when he gets there. He looks pretty invested until he hears Nate close the door behind him. He’s got half of the order in his arms while the rest is still sitting in his car outside.

 

“Sid, coffee here,” Geno announces into one wing of the museum. It seems empty until Sidney walks back out with a clipboard in hand.

 

“Great, you can help Geno set up the rest of the tables. Where’s the rest of the stuff?” he asks, looking over what Nate has carried in.

 

“In the car,” Nate answers.

 

“Great,” Sid checks off an item on his list. “The school is coming by again. Four grades at once so we’re providing breakfast for the students and teachers. They’ll be here in an hour so we need to get things done soon.”

 

Geno already seems like he’s been informed about this plan. He takes what Nate is holding and goes back to work. Muttering to himself, Sid walks away with his clipboard so Nate takes that as Sid’s way of saying he should get to work too.

  


*

  


The kids get there a half hour after the museum’s usual opening. They’ve been tucked away into a private wing of the museum for things like this so they can come and go undisturbed through their breakfast. Nate has no reason to hover after he’s done setting up things with Sid and Geno so he leaves for his usual morning post between the mammal and marine exhibits.

 

He doesn’t look for Jo.

 

“He’s here, in case you were wondering,” Sidney says, passing by Nate. He doesn’t have his usual hoard of children following him on tour.

 

“Who?” Nate asks because it’s still morning and he’s a bit slow without a couple cups of coffee in his system. It’s so bad for him but he drinks it anyway.

 

“Jo,” Sid says as if it should be obvious. “He asked me how you were adjusting to working here. Seemed like you guys were becoming friends.”

 

“I - uh, he’s a cool guy,”

 

Sid says nothing, just leaves Nate to think about what he said.

  


*

 

Curiosity gets the best of him.

 

Nate makes his rounds and finds an excuse to wander into the room where the kids were in the morning. Nobody else is there. Some backpacks and water bottles have been left vacated but Jo isn’t there.

 

He doesn’t let him get disappointed about it. He hadn’t even really had a plan if for some reason Jo had been lingering in that room by himself. Possibly Jo could’ve taken a student back for something but Nate isn’t sure if he would want to risk interrupting something.

 

The kids have seemed to finally migrated to the marine exhibit. Another guard is there but Nate walks like he’s on business and breezes past him. The students this time range from coming up to what feels like his knee to his chest. Half of the museum is filled with these kids so Nate chalks it up to the fact that he wasn’t meant to see Jo today and moves on.

 

“Take our picture!”

 

Nate prepares to turn on his heels. For a museum of little runts, they’ve been well behaved. Older kids don’t seem to care as much and the little ones have employed hand holding while walking throughout the museum, which seems new, so Nate hasn’t had a reason to do much for days until now.

 

“You -” he starts, faltering at the sight of Jo on one knee on the ground to take a picture with an excited six year old holding a sea turtle stuffed animal high above her head.

 

“Me,” Jo prompts, lowering his phone.

 

Nate fake coughs into his hand. “You can’t take pictures of the artwork,”

 

Jo laughs, shaking his head for the child’s amusement. “Sorry about that, we were just taking a picture of the two of us. My flash is off too, promise.”

 

“I know,” Nate says, figures if this fails he can always move back to Colorado and be jobless. “Like I said, no pictures of the artwork.”

 

Like a proper coward, Nate walks off as soon as he can. Sure cavemen aren’t exactly his favorite things but they don’t talk back so he figures that hanging around them isn’t too bad.

  


*

  


“So earlier,” Jo starts after he’s properly cornered Nate between two dinosaur pieces. “Are we going to talk about it?”

 

Nate feels his face get warm starting with his cheeks all the way to his ears. “Do we have to?”

 

“Well, you’re at work so I guess it can wait. But after, I’m done at the school by five. You can pick me up there and we can talk about it then,” Jo tells Nate. So quickly, Nate almost questions if it was real, Jo presses a kiss to Nate’s cheek. He seems overly pleased that Nate’s blush has expanded tenfold. “Sound good?”

 

“Uh, yeah, of course,” Nate says. His hands flounder a little, a little unsure if he’s allowed to touch Jo. He can’t help but get his fingertips just barely on Jo’s hips before the other man is pulling away with a playful smirk.

 

“No touching the masterpieces,”

 

Nate sputters, “Pretty sure I said _artwork_ ,”

  
Jo shrugs, “ _La même chose_ ,”

**Author's Note:**

> (Just a quick translation from Google & websites it directed me to:
> 
> Parfait = perfect  
> La même chose = it's supposed to mean "same thing"
> 
> I used very limited and brief French because I know Jo speaks it.)


End file.
